VA Coverage & Billing: It’s All In the Details

June 13, 2024 | 14:00 ET | Free to AAA Members
Speaker: Brian Werfel, Esq.
In February 2023, the Veteran’s Administration issued a final rule that would have changed its reimbursement methodology for so-called “beneficiary travel.” Previously, the VA paid the ambulance provider its full billed charge for these services. Under the new rule, payments would be capped at the corresponding Medicare allowed amount. While the VA ultimately elected to postpone the implementation of this payment change until 2025, the final rule has sparked an intense debate over the VA’s payment for ambulance services. This debate is not limited to the VA’s Beneficiary Travel Program. All aspects of the VA’s reimbursement for ambulance services have come under criticism, both from within the industry and from lawmakers. Please join AAA Medicare Consultant Brian S. Werfel, Esq. for a broad overview of the VA’s coverage of ambulance services. As part of this overview, Brian will discuss each of the various programs under which the VA might cover an ambulance transport. Brian will highlight both the similarities between these programs, as well as the different coverage rules that apply to each program. We discuss the financial impact of the new reimbursement methodology for beneficiary travel, and the potential impact this might have on other programs. We will also discuss current legislative proposals to modify existing VA coverage rules to better align with the current operating environment for EMS agencies.